Ostroski pleads guilty to fraud

Former executive director of Southern Iowa Council of Governments, Timothy J. Ostroski, of Creston, plead guilty Oct. 7 to one count of fraudulent practices in the second degree, according to Union County District Court records.

In February, he was charged one count of first-degree theft, one count of fraudulent practice and four counts of forgery. This month, trial information was amended to include the charge of one count of identity theft more than $10,000.

Ostroski had served as executive director of SICOG and the Southern Iowa Development Group since February 1984. SICOG is an organization that provides economic development services through the delivery of planning services, technical program assistance and grants. Ostroski also served as the executive director of the Southern Iowa COG Housing Trust Fund, Inc, a charitable foundation.

As part of a plea deal, if Ostroski qualifies for deferred judgment, the state agreed to recommend a deferred judgment and a $1,025 civil penalty to include a 15% surcharge, the minimum penalty for the charge. The charge has a maximum sentence of five years in prison, $10,245 fine and 15% surcharge. The charge is eligible for a suspended sentence or deferred judgement with probation of two to five years. All other counts will be dismissed.

According to Creston Police reports, Ostroski fraudulently obtained funds from SICOG by creating multiple checks made payable to another individual for cleaning services that were never provided. He then signed and deposited the checks into a personal checking account, resulting in personal gain.

Forgery charges stem from checks dated Jan. 27, Feb. 26, May 4 and 28, 2021, on which Ostroski admitted to fraudulently signing Tiffany Ossian’s name to the back of checks without her permission. Ossian, Ostroski’s daughter, is not an employee of SICOG and not affiliated with SICOG.

Ostroski is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 9.